Reykjavík detective Soffía finds herself struggling to cope with a single-handed investigation into a spate of malicious acts taking place across the city, and enlists help from an unexpected direction.
Her psychologist ex-husband Adam has advised the police before, but with Covid raging in the city, would prefer to stay holed up in his basement flat as he deals with challenges in both his working and private life.
He grudgingly agrees to work with Soffía, as the stakes in the investigation are continually raised.
Working out who bears a grudge that goes deep enough to lead to murder, they unravel complex family ties, lingering enmities and a dark past that the victims would prefer to keep secret, while Adam encounters a young woman in a race against the clock to find the father she has never seen, but for what purpose?
“Jónína Leósdóttir has written a fantastic crime novel with a unique protagonist and a gripping plot that will keep the reader glued to the pages” – Yrsa Sigurðardóttir
Deceit is Jónína Leósdóttir’s first novel to appear in English.
My thanks to Ewa Sherman and Corylus Books for an Arc of Deceit by Jónína Leósdóttir and translated by Quentin Bates!
Set in Iceland this novel touches on secrets, lies, relationships, family, guilt and so much more!
The book is Covid heavy so if this is not something you want to read about, this won’t be the book for you. Adam (a psychologist) is obsessed, and rightly so, with the pandemic and following the rules whilst trying to assist his ex-wife Soffía in solving a crime that has implications for many.
I loved the conflict between this pair. Although they are divorced, there is a friendship and respect (sort of!) which has allowed them to put their past to rest and work together using their unique skill sets to solve the mystery that threatens to harm the locals. Adam is a psychologist and has his own secrets while Soffía is a detective who is feisty and driven. There is humour sprinkled throughout to lighten the heavy moments and the story is told from Adam’s POV which I found a fresh change from a police procedural focus.
Descriptive in places, you get a real sense of place and the contrast between Iceland (where Soffía is from) and the UK (where Adam is from) adds a new layer to the story. There is quite a lot going on and the different strands really pushed the story forward while giving me background insight without steering me away from the relevant details.
Would I recommend this book? Ab-so-friggin-lutely! Deceit is a compelling mystery full of secrets & lies that had me guessing right up until the end!
